As a consequence of rapidly expanding organized crime and tougher criminal sentencing, Sweden's prisons have reached capacity. In 2024, the kingdom's 46 prison facilities housed 7,530 inmates for just 5,022 available beds. Since then, the occupancy rate has risen further, reaching 141% and leading to a "very tense" situation in some facilities, according to conservative Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer. His solution: leasing a prison in Tartu, Estonia.

On Wednesday, June 4, Strömmer announced that Stockholm had reached an agreement with Tallinn. While Sweden does plan to add 18,000 more beds by 2033, building new jails and penitentiaries takes time. Moreover, even these additional spaces might not be enough. As it stands, the Swedish prison administration already predicts that 35,000 people will be incarcerated and 4,500 held in provisional detention by 2033.

These figures could climb even higher: On Thursday, June 5, National Police Commissioner Petra Lundh presented her proposals for reforming criminal policy. If all her recommendations are enacted, their combined effect will result in a surge in sentences, amounting to the equivalent of 16,000 additional years of criminal imprisonment per year.

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